Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Johnson City, TN and Townsville

For one person, living is cheaper in Johnson City, TN: $2,131 a month against $2,606 in Townsville, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

102

Cost of Living Index in Johnson City, TN
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Johnson City, TN Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Townsville
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Townsville Living Index

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Johnson City, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,131

/mo nomad

Townsville

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,606

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Johnson City, TN and in Townsville

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Johnson City, TN and in Townsville actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,131 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $2,606 in Townsville, rent included.

Johnson City, TN $2,131
Townsville $2,606

A couple spends around $3,129 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $3,842 in Townsville, rent included.

Johnson City, TN $3,129
Townsville $3,842

A family of three spends $4,128 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $5,078 in Townsville, rent included.

Johnson City, TN $4,128
Townsville $5,078

Johnson City, TN is about 18% cheaper than Townsville, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Johnson City, TN and Townsville sit above the global median – Johnson City, TN by 58%, Townsville by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.79 $13.79

$22.82 A$33.19

-39.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 $54.0

$70.4 A$102

-23.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 $9.97

$12.16 A$17.68

-18.01%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$3.58 A$5.21

43.30%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 $3.10

$2.64 A$3.83

17.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.47 A$3.59

-20.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 $5.10

$8.53 A$12.41

-40.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.10 $6.10

$7.20 A$10.48

-15.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.77 A$2.58

-42.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.27 A$3.30

72.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$1.36 A$1.98

188.97%

Eggs

$3.17 $3.17

$5.23 A$7.61

-39.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.36 $7.36

$8.16 A$11.87

-9.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.89 A$14.38

39.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 $13.10

$13.37 A$19.45

-2.02%

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 $7.65

$4.13 A$6.01

85.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.70 A$3.93

-33.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$3.58 A$5.20

12.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.29 A$6.24

-18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.64 A$3.84

26.52%

Onion (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$2.85 A$4.15

56.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.30 A$3.35

-4.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.26 A$4.74

-27.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.55 $8.55

$30.58 A$44.48

-72.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 $13.11

$10.71 A$15.57

22.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$6.93 A$10.08

-76.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 $5.16

$8.54 A$12.42

-39.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.11 A$3.07

-51.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.34 $25.34

$55.2 A$80.3

-54.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$2.62 A$3.82

35.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 $1.32

$2.04 A$2.97

-35.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.07 $15.07

$44.02 A$64.0

-65.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.24 A$1.80

-33.06%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.3K $30.3K

$28.1K A$40.9K

7.73%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.4K $24.4K

$27.8K A$40.5K

-12.22%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$175 $175

$383 A$557

-54.28%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$52.1 $52.1

$36.42 A$53.0

43.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.7 $61.7

$66.0 A$96.0

-6.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.99 $46.99

$55.4 A$80.5

-15.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 $19.89

$19.73 A$28.69

0.81%

Cinema Ticket

$12.03 $12.03

$15.23 A$22.16

-21.01%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,318 $1,318

$2,084 A$3,031

-36.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$12.2K A$17.8K

-15.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.00 $38.00

$92.5 A$135

-58.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.17 $31.17

$70.1 A$102

-55.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 $86.3

$164 A$238

-47.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.2 $93.2

$131 A$191

-29.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 $1,166

$1,286 A$1,870

-9.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$968 $968

$1,025 A$1,490

-5.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 $1,998

$2,313 A$3,364

-13.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,607 $1,607

$1,845 A$2,684

-12.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,382 $2,382

$4,976 A$7,237

-52.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,029 $2,029

$4,112 A$5,981

-50.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,616 $3,616

$4,066 A$5,914

-11.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

5.68

14.26%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Johnson City, TN: November 2, 2026

Last update for Townsville: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Johnson City, TN

$968 45.4%

Townsville

$1K 39.3% 5.9% $57

Groceries & Markets

Johnson City, TN

$391 18.4%

Townsville

$389 14.9% 0.8% $3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Johnson City, TN

$289 13.6%

Townsville

$485 18.6% 68% $196

Eating Out

Johnson City, TN

$260 12.2%

Townsville

$340 13% 30.8% $80

Clothing & Footwear

Johnson City, TN

$112 5.3%

Townsville

$206 7.9% 84% $94

Sport & Entertainment

Johnson City, TN

$71 3.3%

Townsville

$86 3.3% 20.8% $15

Getting Around

Johnson City, TN

$40 1.9%

Townsville

$77 2.9% 93.4% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,166 in Johnson City, TN versus $1,286 in Townsville. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 12% higher in Townsville, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54 in Johnson City, TN versus $70 in Townsville. Groceries tell a different story – $391 in Johnson City, TN vs $389 in Townsville – so Townsville wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Johnson City, TN

🇦🇺 Townsville

🕒 Local time

09:14 9:14 AM

00:14 12:14 AM

15 h ahead of Johnson City, TN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

66,027

173,724

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 AUD = 0.688 USD

1 AUD = 0.612 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇦🇺 Australian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.45 AUD (1 AUD = 0.688 USD). 1 EUR = 1.63 AUD (1 AUD = 0.612 EUR).

AUD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Johnson City, TN Townsville 14,880 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Johnson City, TN
Townsville

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Johnson City, TN vs Townsville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Townsville is pricier by about 22%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,196 per month in Johnson City, TN and $3,910 in Townsville. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,166 in Johnson City, TN and $1,286 in Townsville. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54 in Johnson City, TN and $70 in Townsville. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 54% less in Johnson City, TN. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Johnson City, TN, where all-in costs run around $2,131, than in Townsville at $2,606. In Johnson City, TN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Townsville it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Johnson City, TN – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Johnson City, TN. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Townsville makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.